retire

Dear Chief Alameda:

Here’s my take on Measure B, please correct me if I am out of the ballpark.

Revenue for LVFD for FY 18/19 was $6.8 million/year.

Salaries/wages paid out were a whopping $5.3 million including Overtime: $175,000 and Other Pay including Bonuses: $591,000.

Equipment purchased last year: $77,000.

This year, 2018/19: Equipment budgeted: $22,000.

It is fairly obvious where all the money went: into salaries/wages and benefits.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Gone are the old high school woodshop prerequisite napkin holders and cutting boards. In their place are sheds and dog houses built to code, giving their creators valuable life and work skills for their futures.

Students in the South Tahoe High Woodshop 1 classes have been building dog houses, complete with insulation and roofs and sides built with techniques found in residential construction.

Carmen Elaine Withrow (Terrell) passed away peacefully on October 8th, 2019 surrounded by her loving family. A wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter and friend, she will be dearly missed by those that knew and loved her. She was a compassionate person, kind to everyone, not one to talk about others and always there for you in a time of need. She was born on June 19, 1942 at home in Whitt, Texas, the youngest of 6 children and 12 years younger than the next oldest sibling.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Superintendent Dr. James Tarwater of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) has announced he'll retire in one year.

Dr. Tarwater has been with LTUSD since 2005.

During their last meeting on June 11, the Board concluded its annual evaluation of Dr. Tarwater's performance. Though details of that evaluation are not available, they extended his contract one extra year until 2022 until they were notified of his notice of retirement.

At their June 25 meeting, the Board is scheduled to accept his retirement.

As a fan of the first "John Wick" movie I gotta tell you I didn't think any sequel would top it but boy, was I wrong! From the opening scenes 'til the end, it's non-stop action with a body count higher than the number of politicians wanting to run for president of the United States. “John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum” picks up where number 2 left off as Wick is a worldwide wanted man: wanted by every assassin with a $14 million on his head. Keanu Reeves reprises the role that he was born to play (sorry "Matrix" fans).

Our community has less than one week before November 6th, election day, arrives. There are many important issues on the ballot. My husband and I just mailed ours in on Monday and I was reminded again of how fortunate we are to live in a nation where the voters decide on such topics as daylight savings time, on new laws preventing cruelty to farm animals, allowing rent controls to stop spiraling costs that are eliminating housing options, and many other state and local topics.

Twenty-six team members from Lake Tahoe Unified School District are retiring this year after serving a collective 627.5 years in the local schools.

During a reception hosted by the Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation, each retiree was honored with a gift and plant and a round of applause.

The following certificated and classified retirees will be honored:

Certified Employees - 300.5 years of employment

Joann Allister, P.E. Teacher, 22 years of service
Melissa Bornstein, 2nd Grade Teacher, 35 years of service
Diane Burtraw, Kindergarten TWBI Teacher, 34 years of service

LAKE TAHOE, CA/NV – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) today released a draft environmental impact statement for a proposed Shoreline Plan for Lake Tahoe. The draft report is available for two months of public review and comment that will conclude Monday, July 9.

Lake Tahoe’s shoreline is a place of majestic beauty with sandy beaches and secluded, boulder-strewn coves. It’s where residents and visitors alike go to enjoy Tahoe’s famously cold, clear water, whether they are dipping their toes in for the first time or launching their boat, kayak, or paddleboard for a daily outing.

Carson City’s Deputy Director of Emergency Management, Stacey Belt, has a couple of very special Spinoni Italiano dogs. One of them, as Stacey puts it — a bearded Italian girl with bushy eyebrows named Adele, will be competing in the famous Westminster dog show in February.

We spoke with Stacey to learn more about these fascinating dogs as well as the world of competitive dog shows and the time both pooches got lost in the woods for an entire week in 2016.

How did you get into the Spinoni Italiano breed of dogs?

The Brockway substation in Kings Beach was switched back into service Tuesday evening at 8:00 p.m. The 50+ year old substation had been temporarily shut down for necessary repairs due to damage sustained during this year’s winter storms.

A new transformer was installed to replace equipment that had caught on fire during extreme weather experienced in the Lake Tahoe region in January and February "Snowmegeddon."

School is out and summer is in full swing at Lake Tahoe. Visitors and residents are heading to beaches and launching boats, kayaks, and standup paddleboards to get out and enjoy the jewel of the Sierra. Millions of people visit Tahoe each year and the shoreline is where they go to experience its famously cold, clear, blue water.

A man who worked through the ranks from a driver to senior vice president/general manager at the Ridge Tahoe is set to retire in December, 34 years after first walking in the door at the mountain top resort on the South Shore.

A reception was held Tuesday for those retiring from the Lake Tahoe Unified School District this year. The 11 retirees have worked a total of 299 years in education.

Cynthia Cowen, Teacher – 37 years
Martha Brown, Sr. Accounting Assistant - 33 years
Sandra Moulton, Teacher – 30 years
Norman Nold, Bus Driver/Trainer – 30 yrs
Sydney Brown, Teacher – 29 years
Joan Romero, Sr. Accounting Assistant, Food Service Department - 27 yrs
Steven Hall, Speech Therapist – 27 years
Renee Gorevin, Teacher – 24 years
Francis Fortier, Warehouse Assistant – 24 yrs

Just as it is when the topic of vacation rentals is on the South Lake Tahoe City Council agenda, a large, and at times, angry, crowd gathered.

The task at hand Tuesday was to review changes to the current Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Ordinance which included 11 changes which will take effect 30 days after the June 7 Council meeting if approved.

"It was a sign that I need to retire," said Dr. Kelly Shanahan.

Shanahan sat down with me recently, to reflect on her 22 years in South Lake Tahoe, and the almost 10,000 babies she's delivered in her career.

The sign?

Without putting her office up for sale she received a phone call from a local realtor, asking if she'd like to sell the building that houses her Emerald Bay Center for Women's Health.

The potential buyer came to look at the property, and shortly after, a vacationing doctor called to see if she'd like to sell her practice.

Sam's Place Bar & Grill and the Cork & More, two iconic South Lake Tahoe businesses, surprised many with their news this week that they are ending their multi-decade runs on the South Shore.

For many, Sam's Place was where they went after work for pizza and a beer after work. Others enjoyed the pool, outdoor patio, sports on their televisions, slot machines or the camaraderie that comes with a neighborhood bar.

The Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation’s Speaker Spotlight Series continues on Monday, June 1 at 6 p.m. in the Board/Aspen room inside the library building. In the spotlight will be Dr. Beachy Orr, LTCC’s longtime Biology and Anatomy & Physiology instructor. All members of the community are welcome to this free event, and refreshments will be available.

In 1981, Dr. Gregory Bergner opened Tahoe Family Physicians along with Dr. Brooks Martin and Dr. Paul Rork. The popular physicians delivered hundreds of South Lake Tahoe babies and kept many in the community healthy in a family friendly atmosphere.

Bergner is set to retire on April 14 after 34 years of helping the South Shore, not only as a doctor but as someone who actively sponsored, volunteered, and participated in many local organizations.

Good News…Crime for 2014 is down!

Police officials recently completed the official Uniform Crime Report for 2014. Overall, the “part 1” violent and property crimes are down.

Here are some details comparing 2013 and 2014:

Violent Crime - the first column of numbers is for 2013, second is for2014

Homicide ..........3..........0

Forcible Rape..........8..........14

Robbery..........16..........21

Aggravated Assault..........89..........77

The name Roberta Mason has been synonymous with Lake Tahoe Community College for the last 40 years, and her name will soon be permanently added to a college building.

Did the Tough Mudder again at Northstar and I got to say, Tahoe North
oops North Shore sure has their act together when it comes to events
and how to put them on. They work with promoters who don't threaten
them and are willing to compromise to bring world class events to
their side of the lake.

Although I must admit they do not, for the most part, have to deal
with the TRPA and councils that don't have the best interest of their
own community at heart. Now I am not saying that our council is
totally dysfunctional, only a little. Most everything that is getting

After more than 30 years as an attorney, El Dorado County Chief Public Defender Rick Meyer has seen his share of high-profile cases.There was his defense, along with attorney Steve Tapson, of He...

CARSON CITY – It took all of about ten minutes for Sen. Dean Heller and Rep Shelley Berkley to mix it up in their first debate in the U.S. Senate race Thursday, criticizing each other on campaign issues ranging from ethics to Medicare to big oil subsidies.
The hour-long debate on KNPB-TV in Reno was the first chance for many voters to see the two candidates spar on the issues, most of which have already been the focus of campaign attacks in the race to date.